Rains expected to subside from yesterday

By Rathindra Kuruwita

A number of landslides and earth slips reported from across in the 24-hour period that ended at noon yesterday.Heavy rains have been reported from the North Central, Northern and Eastern provinces for the past few days.

A mother of one was killed while her husband and child were injured in an earth slip at Hingurakgoda, Polonnaruwa. The Manampitiya-Gallella Road has been submerged.

About 15,000 families in Ampara have been rendered homeless by the adverse weather and several camps have been established to hold them.

“15,363 families have been affected in Ampara. We have established eight relief camps, which house about 3,000 people. We have also implemented several strategies for GCE AL students to sit for the examination without hindrance,” Chinthaka Abeywickrama, district secretary, Ampara, said.

He said the water levels of several tanks in the province, including Kala Wewa, Yoda Ela, Minneriya Wewa, Parakrama Samudraya, Angamuwa Wewa, and Rajanganaya Wewa have risen drastically.

The water levels of major tanks maintained by the irrigation department are at 95 percent, Irrigation Director, Eng. S.P.C. Sugeeswara said. Water levels in tanks managed by the Ceylon Electricity Board and Mahaweli Authority are at about 97 percent, he said.

Meanwhile, the Met Department said the rain will subside from Thursday onwards.